


Today was Bring Your Daughter to Work Day, Right?

by CaptainKenway



Category: The Voice (US) RPF, The Voice RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Kid Fic, M/M, Prompt Fill, The Shevine Project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 07:07:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6844240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainKenway/pseuds/CaptainKenway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam and Blake bring their daughter to the Blind Auditions. Fluff ensues.</p>
<p>Based off the Shevine Project prompt: "So just an idea, I wonder how Blake and Adam would handle a little girl, who wants her way all the time. Who would spoil her and who would be stern? I would love to see it in a fic"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Today was Bring Your Daughter to Work Day, Right?

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for the Shevine Project prompt “So just an idea, I wonder how Blake and Adam would handle a little girl, who wants her way all the time. Who would spoil her and who would be stern? I would love to see it in a fic”  
> So this fic was born. Honestly this idea has been in my brain for a while but this prompt finally took it off back burner. Plus a kid fic and Shevine can only (hopefully) be adorable.
> 
> Anyway, Xiu is pronounced SHEE-yoo and according to my notes on my phone means charming af but according to a quick google search Xiu means elegant and beautiful. So my past, quick research failed just a bit. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“I expected this to happen as soon as you adopted Xiu,” Carson said as crew swarmed around them. Adam always forgot how many extra stagehands were hired during the Blind auditions. The usual chaos of The Voice quadrupled during their first few filming sessions. Out of all the days they needed help...

“It’s not like we did this on purpose,” Adam said. Xiu frowned up at Carson, her face serious as she tugged Adam’s pants. The frontman wordlessly picked up the two-year-old. “Nancy called out sick this morning. Shockingly, a sick nanny is not the best caretaker for our child.”

“And there wasn’t anyone you could find to watch her?” Carson asked.

“My parents are on vacation, the rest of Maroon 5 is mysteriously absent, and all of our neighbors are busy,” Adam said, “or druggies who can’t be trusted with Xiu.”

“We haven’t weeded through our new neighbors and prospective playdaters yet,” Blake said, nudging Adam, “since we just moved into the house a couple months ago.”

Adam rolled his eyes, shifting Xiu to his other side.  “Yes, I noticed your pun. You’re so clever.”

“I am, aren’t I?” Blake said, wiggling his fingers towards Xiu. Her eyes danced as Blake crept closer. “Clever and witty that’s papa.”

Xiu squealed as Blake attacked her belly.

“Don’t get her worked up before we have to leave her,” Adam said as Xiu clung to his arm, giggling into his shoulder.

“Who’s going to watch her?” Carson asked. “Today is a long day. We don’t have many trusted people we can spare.”

“We know,” Adam said.

“Stop acting like you’re not going to help, Carson,” Blake said. “Shakira had her kid in the lounge essentially her entire time judging on The Voice. Just get someone to watch her while Adam and I do Blinds. We’ll come back during our breaks.”

“Shakira had her own baby gates and nanny,” Carson said.

“We have a diaper bag,” Adam offered.

“And food,” Blake said, patting the daisy diaper bag on his shoulder firmly.

Carson sighed. “Fine, I’ll hold onto Xiu while you two go to makeup before Heather slaughters everyone due to your tardiness. I’ll wrangle together the people who usually pitch in to watch my kids.”

“Your kids?” Blake repeated. “What was all that earlier? You made is sound like it was impossible for Voice crew to watch kids.”

“My kids are well behaved,” Carson said. “So the crew doesn’t mind.”

“Not to your face,” Adam said. Carson cast him a dark look. “Besides, Xiu is well behaved.”

Carson raised a dubious eyebrow. “Is she?”

“We’re occasionally immature, not bad parents,” Adam said.

Blake nodded. “She’s practically an angel.”

 

* * *

 

Blinds were going as usual: talented vocalists continued to amaze, sales pitches inevitably dissolved into bickering—of course, that could just be Adam and Blake—and coaches slowly, but surely, began filling their teams. They were only an hour into day one of the Blind Auditions, which usually took a few days to film in its entirety, but he was already anxious to leave.

Adam sighed, shifting in his seat and ignoring Blake’s increasingly probing gaze every time he fidgeted. He was restless on a good day. As in a day where he wasn’t confined to a chair for hours on end and his daughter wasn’t in the hands of an unknown, but Carson approved stagehand. It was starting to affect his pitches. He could tell.

“Adam, are you alright?” Christina asked during their first break.

Adam glanced over. Paula, his makeup artist and long used to working around his restlessness, moved her brush with his head bob. “Fine, why?”

“It’s just a bit early for you to already escape your chair at every turn,” Christina said. “You usually last until at least the 90 minute mark.”

“I’m just worried about Xiu,” Adam said. Honestly, he just needed to relax and take his mind off his probably unnecessarily paranoid concerns. Usually Blake was up for playing distraction but the country singer fled backstage as soon as the makeup artists emerged from behind the cameras. He pretended that Blake’s abrupt absence didn’t bother him.

“Did Nancy do something?”

“Get sick.”

The blonde’s face instantly grew understanding. “Xiu is here?”

“Yeah, I don’t know why I’m so worried. I know most of the people here. Well, at least the regulars,” Adam said. “Plus Blake and I leave her with Nancy enough times that I should be used to Xiu not being with me.”

“But she’s not with Nancy,” Christina said. “It’s always tough letting someone new watch your child, especially an unknown. Your feelings are natural. If I were you, I would be ripping the crew apart figuring out how my kid was coping.”

“Imagine that.”

Christina swatted him with her fan.

“I still feel ridiculous though,” Adam said. “It’s not like I’m the first person to ever leave their kid with a relative stranger who could fucking kidnap or murder—”

“Adam, she’s fine.”

“But what if she’s not?”

“Adam...”

“I saw this story on 20/20 last night and—”

“Daddy!”

Adam’s head whipped around. He knew that voice anywhere, even without the obvious greeting. A beam instantly overtook his face. The murmurs of the audience and general rustle from the crew faded. Blake walked slowly towards his chair, Xiu running to keep up with Blake’s longer strides. She released his hand and ran towards Adam at Blake’s prompting.

Only the studio audience clapping froze her. Xiu hesitated halfway down Adam’s runway, fists balling up the hem of her yellow sundress. She only stood uncertainly for a second because the frontman quickly scooped her up. Xiu clung to his arm, immediately burying her face into his shirt.

“So this is where you wandered off too,” Adam said, one hand rubbing Xiu’s back as she warily eyed the cooing crowd.

“Seemed the thing to do,” Blake said. “Winning contestants from you is more fun when you’re actually trying.”

“I’m sure that’s your only reason,” Adam said.

Blake’s face softened. “You know Xiu doesn’t trust new people, I thought I would take her off the stagehand’s hands. What’s the point in having my two favorite people be miserable? There was an obvious solution. So I took it.”

“This will be nice while it lasts,” Adam agreed, resting his cheek against Xiu’s head. She squirmed. “Until Heather rudely demands that we go back to filming and doing our jobs and such.”

“Who says that doing our jobs and watching Xiu have to be mutually exclusive?” Blake said.

Adam raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think Heather will let us keep her up here. Toddlers don’t exactly have the reputation of making things quiet and productive.”

“Darlin’, The Voice has never been quiet and our people are so ambitious I doubt they’ll let a toddler get in their way,” Blake said. “Might as well see how long we can go before someone protests. Don’t you think so, Xiu?”

The toddler nodded. “Yeah.”

“See?”

Adam snorted. “You both convinced me.”

 “Good. Now come on, let’s be cute so Heather can’t force us to take Xiu backstage,” Blake said, leaning forward to kiss both of them on the cheek. The crowd awed.

“Get in your seats, you two,” Heather, the director, called. “We have a show to film.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Blake said, winking at Adam as the frontman walked back to his chair, daughter in tow.

“Adam, what are you doing?” Heather asked, eyes narrowing on the innocently smiling frontman and the equally guileless country singer. Christina and Pharrell exchanged amused glances.

“Xiu, remember Heather?” Adam asked, sitting on his already turned chair. “Say hi to Heather.”

Xiu gave a small wave. The audience aww-ed, already captivated by the two-year-old. The toddler stared at them again with renewed interest.

“Not many people can be an instant crowd pleaser,” Adam said. “I can’t say I’m surprised that you’re one.”

Xiu looked up at Adam, her sleek black braids swinging behind her. “I’m the best.”

“You are,” Adam agreed.

“She gets her showmanship from me,” Blake said. “She gets her cockiness from you.”

“Is it cocky if it’s the truth?” Adam asked.

Heather cleared her throat. “Who’s watching Xiu?”

“Over 200 people if we count the audience,” Christina said.

The ginger director shot the diva an unimpressed look.

“Heather, we have a show to film,” Adam said.

“We’re probably already behind schedule,” Blake added. “We don’t have time for questions.”

Heather studied Xiu quietly nestling in Adam’s lap and then glanced at the entranced audience. She turned to Paul. “Send in the next contestant.”

Adam and Blake traded grins.

 

* * *

 

Blake may have not thought this through.

At the time, it made sense. He’d leave ASAP to fetch Xiu—who was still staring uncertainly at the stagehand assigned to watch her when Blake snatched her—and then bring her onstage to Adam—whose glumness took over about twenty minutes into the Blinds—which would hopefully—and did—lead to Xiu staying with them the majority or the rest of the day.

All his thoughts were mainly to lighten Adam’s closed off expression.

He didn’t realize he’d create an unstoppable force of nature.

Within the first contestant, Blake knew he made a mistake. She practically melted when Adam turned around with a clapping Xiu. But Danesha was in her mid-30s and clearly a child lover. Blake hoped she was the exception.

Nope.

Apparently no one could resist the combined cuteness of Adam and a toddler, who warmed up to the crowd quicker than Blake ever thought possible. Xiu took a few visits to warm up to even Pharrell and he was probably the friendliest, most harmless person on the planet. Yet after one visit Xiu had the entire audience tightly wrapped around her little finger.

Not that Blake could object. Xiu was hard to resist by herself. Her natural calm always made her a well-behaved child, but it was when she lost her composure in a fit of giggles or when she clung familiarly—trustingly—to Adam or himself that she really shined. Put her in a sundress with a bright ribbon in her hair and she was lethally adorable.

And put a lethally adorable toddler on a clearly affectionate Adam Levine and the rest of the coaches were at a gigantic disadvantage.

Not that Pharrell or Christina did anything but encourage Xiu and Adam’s antics.

As did Blake, but that wasn’t the point.

As a coach, something needed to be done. Adam was about to ensnare another contestant. He was persuasive enough on his own without a toddler bargaining chip.

“...That was probably my favorite rendition of that song hands down,” Adam said, “and I’ve heard tons of covers of that Elton John song. I’m just really impressed with how you made that song your own. It’s a gift I would love to—”

“Shh, Daddy. You’re too loud,” Xiu said, frowning seriously up at him. Some audience members laughed resulting in what Blake swore was a smug smirk on his daughter’s face. But Blake put those thoughts away as he jumped on the chance to finally use Xiu in his favor.  

“Stop deafening our daughter with your yammering, darlin’,” Blake called. “It’s not good parenting.”

Adam raised an eyebrow, his challenging gaze not lessened despite the two red chairs disrupting it. “Yet it’s good parenting to let her play in Daddy’s studio after he made a big deal about how she wasn’t allowed in there?”

Blake paused.

“Yes, I know you let her play on my piano and use my drums,” Adam said. “You’re not subtle.”

“You were across the country when that happened,” Blake said. “How—”

“I have my sources,” Adam said. Not looking nearly as enigmatic as he meant to, but it was nearly impossible to maintain an air of mystery when a toddler twisted until she practically sprawled down your legs.

“Someone ratted me out,” Blake said. He eyed a suddenly innocent Xiu as Adam resituated her in his chair. “Was it you?”

Xiu grinned. “Yep!”

Blake clutched his heart. “Betrayed by my own flesh and blood.”

“She’s adopted,” Adam said.

He held up a hand. “My beloved daughter is actually a traitor. I didn’t think I’d live to see the day.”

Xiu giggled as Blake slumped in his chair. “Love you, Papa.”

“Blatant disrespect,” Blake said. “She thinks just because she’s cute, I’ll forgive her.”

“Such a wild assumption on her part,” Adam said drily.

Xiu wiggled until Adam placed her on the floor. She padded over to Blake. Finally. He hid a grin.

“Finally gracing me with your presence?” Blake drawled.

“You’ll be okay,” Xiu said, patting his extended arm twice before running back to Adam.

Blake blinked. “What—”

“So Alex, have the fantastic instinct of my daughter,” Adam said, definitely smirking as he swept Xiu back into his chair in an unnecessarily large flourish. The traitor leaned against Adam and smiled at the R&B contestant. Alex’s face inevitably softened as she waved at Adam’s prompting, “and pick Team Adam. I really want to work with you.”

“That’s not fair—”

“And can you trust Blake as a coach?” Adam asked. “He ignores your lectures and let’s your piano keys get sticky.”

“She just ran back to you,” Blake said. Alright, he might be pouting. Just a tad.

“She has good taste,” Adam said, “which she hopefully shares with Alex.”

“So you have two great coach options,” Pharrell said. “Who do you pick, Alex?”

Blake’s pointing finger was in vain. Alex chose Adam and the adorable two-year-old to the surprise of no one.

“You’re conniving,” Blake said as Adam, who released a hyper Xiu onto the stage as soon as Heather called for a break, approached. At least a doting Christina and Pharrell were corralling her away from the edge of the stage.

“Me? I’m just holding our daughter and being adorable so Heather doesn’t force her backstage,” Adam said. “As per our plan.”

“Heather and the audience are eating her up with a spoon,” Blake said.

“So our plan was a success,” Adam said.

“Our plan never entailed you exclusively using her big eyes to help you obtain artists,” Blake said.

“Don’t be so jealous,” Adam said. “Clearly she likes sitting with Daddy better. Who can blame her?”

Blake eyed him suspiciously. “You’re bribing her, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m just cuddly,” Adam said too quickly for Blake’s taste. “A fact you tell me all the time. Don’t question it now.”

“It’s more than that,” Blake said.

“I’m her favorite,” Adam said gravely. The country singer remained unimpressed as his husband leaned against his chair. “We didn’t want to tell you sooner and break your heart but I think you’re strong enough to hear the truth—”

Adam satisfyingly squeaked when he suddenly pulled the frontman into his lap. Adam glared. Blake smirked. He still got it. “You are a dipshit,” he murmured.

Adam tsked, shifting until he sat sideways on Blake’s lap. He waved briefly but very dismissively at the few cheering audience members. “And you have a potty mouth, you asshole. You’re going to turn Xiu into a sailor.”

“Everyone will blame you though,” Blake said. “That’ll make up for it.”

Adam’s glower was interrupted by Xiu. She stopped by Blake’s legs.

“Papa,” Xiu said, staring at Blake expectantly. She never liked Adam and Blake doing something without her.

“Oh now you want me,” Blake said. “I see how it is. Not during auditions, not when I can use you against Daddy...”

Her hands didn’t stop reaching insistently towards the country singer.

“Papa,” Xiu said sternly as if scolding Blake for not immediately scooping her up.

“I got you, sweetie,” Adam said, bending over and heaving Xiu into his lap. Xiu immediately stood until she plopped against Blake’s chest. Her fingers stroked his beard. “And you wonder why she stayed in my chair.”

“Because you cater to her every whim like a bad parent?” Blake guessed. He pretended to bite Xiu’s fingers. The toddler giggled, hiding her hands in Blake’s jacket.

“You mean love her enough to hold her in an unfamiliar, scary setting?” Adam said.

“Potato, tomato,” Blake said. “Either way she’ll turn into a spoiled brat, won’t you?”

“She’s not a dog,” Adam said. “Stop using a happy tone when you insult her. Besides, as I recall, you were the one who bought her five dresses because she wasn’t content with only two.”

“She was indecisive,” Blake said, Xiu’s hands petting his beard again.

“She’s two,” Adam said. “She doesn’t have much of an opinion about anything when it comes to shopping.”

“But she pouted when I took one away,” Blake said.

“So clearly I’m the only one guilty of spoiling her,” Adam drawled.

Blake jerked his head down. Xiu squealed falling into Adam’s leg.

“Now, I’m going to eat food and bring Xiu back something,” Adam said, shifting Xiu to Blake’s hold as he jumped out of the chair. “Try not to buy her a pony while I’m gone.”

“I won’t!” Blake called before turning to Xiu conspiratorially as Adam snatched a sandwich from a nearby food cart. “A girl like you deserves a real horse. Not a tiny one.”

“Tiny,” Xiu said, twisting her head back to look at him.

“No, no, big,” Blake said.

“Tiny,” Xiu said stubbornly.

“But don’t you want to be a cowgirl like Jessie?” Blake asked. “Jessie has a real horse. A big one.”

Xiu frowned. “But I want a tiny one.”

“You can’t get a pony. Daddy was a dictator and said no, remember?” Blake eyed Xiu who tugged at her braids. “Did you want a pony?”

“No.”

“Dog?”

“No.”

“Cat?”

“No.”

“Um...sheep?”

“No.”

“Goat?”

Xiu pursed her lips before smiling. “Yes.”

“Difficult to please, aren’t you?” Blake asked.

“Yes.”

“But we’ll just tell Daddy that he’s the one who spoils you rotten, okay?”

“Yes.”

Blake smirked. But an announcement from Heather wiped any remaining smugness off his face because apparently Heather’s call for everyone to return to their places was Xiu’s cue to squirm off his lap and run towards Adam.

“Oh come on,” Blake said.

“It’s not my fault you were corrupting our daughter,” Adam said as Xiu clung to his pants. “I’m a much better influence.”

“Where’s her food then?” Blake asked. “Since you’re such a responsible parent?”

Adam nodded to a tiny plate of pretzels and fruit. “Ha.”

Damn. “Well, she can’t only sit with you again. It’s only fair.”

“What you think now that there’s food you can win her over?” Adam asked.

“Yep.”

Adam snorted. “I suppose she is too adorable to sit with one person the entire time.”

“Exactly.”

“Xiu?” Adam said. Her head flung up, staring at the frontman. “Wanna sit with Christina?”

“Yeah!” Xiu cheered.

“Really,” Blake said as Adam groaned comically as he hauled a giggling Xiu to Christina’s lap after handing the diva Xiu’s food.

“What?” Adam asked far too innocently as Xiu settled next to Christina. “She hasn’t seen her for a while.”

“You’re despicable,” Blake said.

“She’s closer to you, Big Country. Maybe you can convince your daughter to sit with you now.” Adam smirked as Christina waved her fan in Xiu’s clearly entranced face. “But probably not.”

“Besides, we need some girl power,” Christina said.

“Exactly,” Adam said.

Blake just shook his head. “Despicable.”

It was four contestants later when Xiu finally turned to the light side. Or so Blake thought.

“Papa,” Xiu said, twisting in Christina’s lap and reaching for Blake.

Blake grinned triumphantly, not even taking time to smirk at Adam. He gathered her midyawn, quick to return to his chair. “See? I knew you’d come around eventually.”

Xiu squirmed. “No sitting. I need to pee.”

Blake’s face fell as Adam cackled. “Oh my God, it’s like my entire life was leading up to this moment.”

“We have time for a break if you want to take care of her,” Heather said.

“Yeah Blake take care of our daughter,” Adam said.

“Why doesn’t she ever go to you for this type of stuff?” Blake asked.

“Because you’re just so great at it,” Adam said.

“Papa,” Xiu whined. “Please.”

Blake hoisted her on his hip and began walking down his runway, ignoring Adam’s snickers. “Alright, but you owe me after this. Okay?”

Xiu nodded firmly.

“So you’ll sit with Papa when we get back. Yes?”

“Yeah.”

Then they come back ten minutes later and the traitor runs straight to Pharrell. Pharrell picked her up, clearly surprised but very prepared to be doting. What made it worse was the producer immediately looked at Blake apologetically.

“Do you want her?” Pharrell asked. Xiu sat primly in his lap, already content playing with some rings on his fingers.

“Nah, you have a good hold on her,” Blake said.

“If you’re sure,” Pharrell said.

So far the genuinely concerned Pharrell was the most grating. “It’s fine,” he said shortly.

“Everybody ready?” Heather called. The four chairs turned around a few moments later, the motion still causing an excited squeal from Xiu. Blake glanced over, catching Adam’s dancing eyes.

“Best day ever,” Adam said.

Xiu spent the next hour sitting calmly with Pharrell, nodding solemnly along to his pitches and giggling whenever Adam made a dramatic, pleading gesture—his husband still somehow managed to use Xiu to his advantage when she wasn’t in his lap. She eventually trotted back to Adam, yellow dress bouncing behind her, and sat with him during the rest of the auditions, which was about five people. She didn’t even look at Blake until Heather officially called it a day. Then Xiu couldn’t run to Blake quick enough. Adam snickered as Xiu promptly leaned heavily against Blake and unleashed a huge yawn.

“It is a bit past nap time,” Adam said, slinging the diaper bag over his shoulder. Xiu rubbed her eyes.

“If she wakes up tonight you have to take care of her,” Blake said. “Her messed up sleep schedule is officially your fault. You got her too excited today.”

“I’ll do that,” Adam said, “especially since you’re just saying that because you’re peeved she never sat with you during the show.”

Blake threw him a pointed look as they trudged towards the parking lot. A tired toddler apparently acted like an invisible buffer because any approaching crew members immediately stepped to the side and any network executives signaled they could talk about their business later. It was the quickest the duo ever left the studio and definitely something Blake would keep in mind for later.

“I know you did something,” Blake said, carefully fastening the slightly grumbling Xiu to her car seat.

“I told you. I’m her favorite,” Adam said as soon as Blake climbed into the passenger seat. He turned down the music. “Also I kept bribing her with skittles.”

Blake turned to Adam triumphantly. “I knew it!”

“Blake,” Adam scolded, “Xiu is trying to sleep.”

Blake glanced back at their slumbering daughter, mouth opened slightly. She was already dead to the world. “I can’t believe you used our daughter to further your career.”

“That’s what parenting is for, right?”

Blake snorted. “I knew it you were doing something.”

“I don’t know why you’re so happy,” Adam said as he waved to the NBC security guard by the gate. A few moments later they pulled into the stream of LA traffic. “You know I have an endless food stash.”

“Even though Christ knows where you hide all of it. Your pants are too tight to be useful and the chairs don’t have any secret compartments,” Blake said. “The chairs don’t have compartments, right?”

Adam simply smiled. “I can’t reveal my secrets.”

“What about Christina and Pharrell?” Blake asked. “How did you get Xiu to stay with them?”

“She does like them,” Adam said.

“She likes me too but ignored me unless she needed something,” Blake said.

Adam smirked. “That was just coincidence, a very perfect coincident. It cracked me up.”

“I could tell.”

“I gave Christina some skittles during a break. Plus Christina’s gaudy necklace is a baby magnet,” Adam said. “I don’t know about Pharrell. I didn’t give him anything. I think she just really likes his hat. And it’s Pharrell so...”

“I can wear hats,” Blake pouted.

“I know you can, babe,” Adam said consolingly. His phone buzzed in the middle console. “Could you read that?”

Blake fumbled with Adam’s phone, skimming the message. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

“It’s just Nancy,” Blake said. “Uh, she said that she’ll be back tomorrow. She just had a 24 hour bug.”

“Oh,” Adam said, “that’s great.”

“It is.”

“I’m glad it was nothing too serious.”

“We should’ve known nothing could keep Nancy away for long.”

“Nancy is great.”

“The best.”

There was a moment of silence as Adam took a right turn. Xiu mumbled in her sleep.

“Well—”

“You know we—”

They both fell silent.  

Adam glanced sideways at Blake. “Do you want to bring Xiu to work tomorrow?”

“Nancy does deserve another day off.”

“To recuperate,” Adam said. “Just in case.”

“Exactly.”

“It’s for her own good.”

“Nancy overworks herself.”

“She’ll thank us in the end.”

“Of course she will. Everyone wants some time off.”

Adam and Blake sat in silence for a few moments. Xiu let out a small snore.

“We’re such saints,” Adam said.

“That we are.”


End file.
